Engine starting mechanism



May 25', 1931. RM. NARDONE v 2,081,761

' ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM I Filed Jan. '7; 1951 2 Sheets-heet 1 I INVENTOR RomeoM Nardone.

ATTdRNEY May 25, 1937. R. M. NARDONE ENGIN E STARTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 7, 1931 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 IIII/ v l ag? INVENTOR R0 meo M Mrdazze.

ATTORNEY Patent ed May 25, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,081,761 ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM' Romeo M. Nardone, Orange, N. J., assignor to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey 1 Application January '7, 1931, Serial No. 507,229

5 Claims.

This invention relates to starting devices for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a starter of the inertia type.

I One of the objectsof the present invention is ,"to provide a novel engine starter, of .the type embodying a high speed flywheel, which is compact and symmetrical in form and one which is inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a novel inertia starter which is so constituted that the inertia member is adapted to rotate with the engine during the normal operation of the latter.

- Another object is to provide a novel starter of the inertia type which is completely self-contained and every element of which is mounted on and carried by a rotatable member of the engine to be started. 4

Another object is to provide a novel engine starter wherein the kinetic energy remaining in the flywheel after the engine has ceased to operate, may be utilized without further manual rotation of the inertia member.

A stfll further object is to provide a novel inertia type engine starter which is especially well adapted for use with engines of the outboard type above referred to because of its size and low manufacturing cost and the fact that it may be mounted as a unit on such an engine without requiring a change in the design thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel engine starter wherein the energy stored in a rapidly rotating inertia membermay be transferred to a member of the engine to be started through a novel arrangement of parts which eliminates the usual requirement of this type of starter for a fixed member for absorbing the reaction ,due

to the starting.-

A further object is to provide an inertia starter embodying novel clutch means for operatively connecting the flywheel with the engine member to be rotated whereby the energy stored in the flywheel may be imparted to said engine member at the desired time and in an amount such that damage to the s'tarterelements is avoided.

Another object is to provide novel clutch or brake means of general application, which embody the use of centrifugally actuated members a to produce theinitial operative connection between the two principal elements of said means.

A further object is to provide novel centrif-- ugally actuated driving means in combination with means for rendering said driving means ineffective until the desired time, at which time driving engagement may be effected by. a manual which manual act the centrifugal force created by the rotation of the said driving means, causes their movement into driving relation with the driven member.

Still another object is to provide a novel engine starter of the inertia type which is characterized by the fact that after the engine has been started under its own power, the inertia elements of the starting mechanism are caused 10 to rotate with the engine member and thereby act as a flywheel for said engine.

Another object is to provide an engine starter having novel yielding driving means for preventing excessive stress and breakage of parts of the starter and preventing opposite rotation of the starter drive, in the event of a sudden reversal of the direction of rotation of the engine.

Another object is to provide an engine starter of the inertia type in which the inertia member may slip relative to the remaining parts when the resistance of the remaining parts becomes excessive, or when, after starting the engine, the speed thereof becomes, excessive. The above and other objects will become more. apparent from the following description of the drawings. Two embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for .the purpose of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. I

The embodiment of the invention illustrated is particularly well adapted for use in starting outboard motors, but is not limited to such use, as above noted and when so used or adapted, comprises an inertia member, together with means for actuating and storing energy therein, mounted on a member of the engine to be start- 40 ed, said inertia member being adapted for rotation independently of said engine member prior to the starting thereof, but also designed for rotation with said member after the engine has been started and so long as the engine continues to run at or above a predetermined speed.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is -a central vertical section of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken memb'er 8 which may be part of the crankshaft of the engine or an extension thereof.

Rigidly attached to the members 5 and B, by

means of screws 9, is a casing member I 0, which is designed to house and support the inertia actuating means. As shown, the casing is composed of three sections, ll, l2, and I3, secured together by suitable means such-as screws l4, passing from the horizontally disposed surface of the upper section I3 through the cylindrical wall of the central section l2, and threadedly engaging the up.- per circumferential edge of the lower section II. The upper section i3 is provided with a centrally disposed hub portion l6 having a central opening through which extends the cylindrical sleeve or shaft I! having its lower end flanged, as indicated at 18. A roller or needle bearing I9, is mounted on shaft IT for rotatably guiding hollow shaft ii, and a ball bear; g 20 is mounted in a recess formed in the inner bore of the member ill for rotatably supporting the pinion 2i.

Member IT constitutes the driving or cranking member of the means for actuating and storing energy in the inertia member. To this end, the flange I8 on said .member is provided with a plurality of supporting bolts 23 located at equal angular distances about a circle near the outer edge thereof, said bolts having enlarged heads retaining members 24 adapted to rotatably support, with the assistance of ball bearing 25, a corresponding number of driving gears 26 adapted to mesh with the sun gear or pinion 2i and also with the teeth of the internal gear 27, mounted in the recesses 28 and 29 formed inthe abutting edges of sections l2 and I 3, the gears 2i, 26, and 2i, thus constituting a planetary system of gears operable in response to manual .rotation of the member ll, produced by inserting a suitable hand crank 4 into the bore of said member and into engagement with the transversely disposed cranking pin 32 secured in sockets 34 formed in the member H. The shaft 33 formed integral with the sun gear 2! will be caused to rotate at much higher speed than that of the shaft H. The inertia member of the starting mechanism is adapted to be operatively connected to shaft Bil and driven thereby through novel friction clutch means. As shown, said inertia member comprises an annular rim 350i suitable weight and mass having near its lower edge a flanged portion 36 presenting the upper and lower fiat annular surfaces 31 and 38 for the reception of friction discs 31a: and 38a associated with clutch members 39 and 40 respectively, lindrical hub or boss 4| extending upwardly at right angles thereto provided near its upper edge with portion 42 adapted to engage a correspondingly threaded portion 43 formed on the flange ring 45.

Means for regulating the frictional pressure brought to bear on the flywheel through the medium of the members 39 and preferably consist of a nest of coiled springs 46 properly spaced and held in position by the provision of studs 41 riveted or otherwise suitably secured in suitable openings in the ring 44, the upper ends of the springs 46 bearing against the under surface of the ring 44 which is vertically movable to vary the the member 40 having a cybut integral therewith and tension of the springs by-virtue of the provision of the threaded connection with the member 40.

The means for causing the clutch members 39 and 40 to rotate in response to rotation of shaft 33, and thereby store energy in the flywheel 35 to be subsequently used in starting the engine, preferably comprises the provision of a flanged formation at the lower end of the shaft 33 as indicated at 50, the said flange being provided with a plurality of openings 5| for the reception of screws 52, to the lower' threaded ends of which is secured the clutch member 40, the said member having an inwardly extending flanged section 53 provided with threaded openings 54 for the reception of the said screws 52. The member 40 is further provided with a depending hub or boss 55 which together with the co-operating threaded cylinder members 56 and 51, supported on the upwardly projecting flange 58 formed on I transversely disposed plate 59, form a. pocket for the reception of ball bearing 52, on which the members 50, 55, and All, and hence the flywheel 35 are rotatably supported.

The mechanism described above constitutes means for storing up energy to be subsequently used at the will of the operator, for cranking and starting the engine. Novel means are provided for operatively connecting the flywheel 35, after the desired amount of energy has been stored therein, to the member of the engine to be started. Generically speaking, said means comprises, first, a mechanism constantly tending to effect operative driving engagement with the casing H in response to the transmission of torque through the rotating flywheel; secondly, means normally preventing said mechanism from, following such tendency; and thirdly, a manually operable device for rendering said second named means ineffective and thereby permitting said engaging mechanism to effect driving connection with the rnexnber M. The engaging mechanism normally tending to effect driving connection, comprises a plurality of (as shown two) speed responsive elements 6D and 5t pivotally mounted on studs 82 and 83, respectively, these studs being located in openings provided on flange 55 formed at the lower end of shaft 55, the latter being splined or otherwise secured to member 55, for rotation therewith and locked against longitudinal movement relative thereto by suitable keying and supporting means, as shown at 52'.

The sector shaped elements Gil and 66 are provided at their outer arcuate rims with correspondingly shaped friction plates 6Q, formed along the outer edges thereof and having a curvature corresponding to the curvature of drum H, the elements and 6| being normally restrained from following the tendency to move'radially outward into engagement with the inner surface of drum H in response to centrifugal force, set up by the the present invention now to be described..;-;,'

Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be-seen' v that the members 60 and 6|. are provided; along.

means constitutingone of the novel featuresnof.

the surface passing near the rcenter-ofxrotation; with downwardly extending lugs or fingers 692.116."

10 adjacent which fingers there is shaped member II which is adaptedto surround and enclose the provideda cup the upper cylindrical wall of fingers and 10 thereby preventing radial move-.

ment of the members 60 and SI to efieet driving contact with the surface of drum ll so long as the cup member 1| remains in the position shown in Fig. l. The latter is normally held in this position by means of the provision of a nut I2 threaded to the lower end of the rod I3, the purpose of which rod will now be described.

The rod 13 constitutes part of the means whereby the operator may, when desired, release the members 60 and BI from the restraining infiuence of the cup member 1| and thereby permit driving engagement to be effected between the rotating elements of the starter mechanism and the engine tobe started. When such engagement is desired, the operator, after removing the hand crank 4, presses downwardly upon knob 15 thereby overcoming the force of spring I6, which, resting on a stationary collar 11 normally presses upwardly against the thimble 18 in which the rod 13 is held by suitable means, such as pin 13a. As a result of the downward pressure on knob 15 thus manually exerted, the rod 13 descends to a sufficient extent to permit withdrawal of cup" member II from the path of fingers 69 and I and thereby permits the sector elements 60 and 6| to move outwardly into driving engagement with the drum II in response to the centrifugal force created byv the l k/rdt ation of flywheel 35 and the members drive therefrom including the friction clutch member" 40 and shaft 66. The collar 11 is preferably supported on shaft 33 by suitable means including the spacer sleeve 11a and sealing gland 81.

In operation, the hand crank is engaged with pin 32, and shaft-l1 is rotated until the flywheel is brought up to a speed sufficient to store the desired amount of energy for use in starting the engine, the storing of energy in the flywheel being effected through the transmission of torque from shaft H to the planetary gears 26 and 21 and thence through a pinion 2! to the friction clutch members 40 and 39. It will be noted that rod 13 is inaccessible when the hand crank is engaged with cranking shaft l1 and that the rotating starter elements, including the members 40, 35, 66, 6B, and GI, are out of engagement with the member II during the time that energy is being stored in the inertia member. When the hand crank has been brought to a speed of approximately 100' R. P. M.,.forexample,,,the-crank is disengaged from pin 32 andmeshing rod 13 is moved downwardly by hand whereupon sector elements 50 and BI engage by action of centrifugal force, and the resultant reactiondueto the tendency to stop elements 60 and 6|, and hence shaft 66, and flywheel 35 from rotating, is exerted upon members and 6, whereby shaft- 8 is rotated and the engine started.

A further novel feature of the invention is the provision of means whereby, should the engine, as a result of a backfire or for any other reason during starting operation suddenly reverse its direction of rotation, the starter parts are fully protected against damage by the nature of the structure, shape and method of mounting and operating the elements 60 and GI, which, under such conditions would slip, that is, rotate at a different speed from that of the casing, although still in engagement with the member ll. Slippage will also occln between the friction discs 39 and 4!] and the flywheel surfaces. Springs 80 and 8!, fastened at their ends to the members 60 and SI, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2, have points of attachment so located withrespect to the pivot points 82 and 83 and center of rotation 13 that they exert a constant pull in opposition to the centrifugal force resulting from the rotation of the members 60 and SI, the purpose of which arrangement will presently appear.

It will be noted that during cranking of the engine, the starter elements 64 remain drivably connected to the engine crankshaft. This is due to the nature of the engagement between the members 60 and (ii, on the one hand, and drum H, on the other hand, and also the shape and tendency of these members which is to maintain driving contact so. long as clutch members ,60 and BI are rotating at a speed sufliciently high to overbalance the opposing effects of springs 80 and 8|. When the engine is started under its own power, or reversed suddenly, (as by a backfire), the springs 80 and BI will of course act to withdraw the elements 60 and GI and return the fingers 69 and to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby permitting the spring IE to return cup member H into locking relation with respect to the fingers 69 and I0,- such return having theretofore'been prevented by the centrifugal action of the elements 60 and BI as they continued to'=rotate with drum ll, being driven by the flywheel until the latters energy is spent. In fact, the shape and method of mounting these sector elements are such as to render them self-energizing, that is, cause them to grip the drum with a force which increases from the initial engaging force to a much greater maximum, which force is a cumulative resultant of the centrifugal force due to rotation, plus the force tending to turn the sector elements about their pivots 82 and 83, respecof the pivots eccentrically, as shown, is exerted directly against the surface of the drum ll.

There is thus provided a novel engine starter of the inertia type which is simple and rugged in structure, inexpensive to manufacture and efiicient in operation. It is especially well adapted for use with small engines, because of its compactness and light weight, but since it is a self-contained unit it may be easily attached to any engine, and requires noexternal supporting tively. The latter force, by reason of the'placing I means, the whole unit being carried by a rotating member of the engine. A further feature of the present invention is that the mechanism performs the dual function of starter and engine fiy-wheel, while a re-starting can be effected by utilizing the energy remaining in the flywheel,

which will continue to rotate for a considerable period after the engine power has been cut 01!. ',Another important advantage to be derived from the use of the present invention resides in the fact that the operator may choose the time for effecting driving engagement with the engine and can'at such time effect such engagement by release of a lock mechanism, upon the release of which driving engagement results through the radial movement of centrifugally actuated elements, thereby eliminating the necessity of employing longitudinally movable jaw or clutch members, which, because of the necessity of rotating and moving longitudinally at the same time, are subject to breakage or injury or undue strain, besides being more complicated in construction and expensive to manufacture and install.

A further feature of the the methodof transmitting torque to and from the flywheel as a'result of which method and construction, upon excessive load, the clutch members 40 and 39, as well as the members 64 are caused to slip, thereby preventing undue strain or injury to the parts. However, if. it is desired to maintain a non-slipping drive between the invention resides m similar to the corresponding elements in the embodiment shown in Figs. '1 and 2.

It will be obvious that the invention is not limited in form to either of the embodiments above described nor is it limited to the specific use described, but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments and uses. For example, any suitable arrangement of gears may be substituted for the specific gear train shown and described and other clutch locking and lock releasing means may be employed in place of the means shown and described for these purposes. Hence it is within the scope of the invention to actuate the lock releasing rod 13 automatically or by power, instead of manually.' The same is true of the means for initially energizing the inertia element. Also the invention may be used in internal combustion engines other than those of the outboard type, while certain sub-combinations may be applied to devices other than internal combustion engines, as above noted. Thus for example, the novel clutch and driving means illustrated in Fig. 2, because of the advantages which it possesses as hereinabove explained, is capable of application and use wherever it is desirable to employ frictional engaging means possessing the qualities above pointed out, particularly the inherent characteristic of tending to increase the "nitial gripping force to a degree proportionate to the speed of rotation of the parts. Such qualities render this sub-combination of elements usefull and advantageous in a variety of applications not only as a driving means but also as a speed retarding or braking means. In the latter application the shait 5% may be connected for r0 cation with the wheels of the vehicle or other member in which rotation is to be retarded, the drum it being supported on some other part of the vehicle or other member not normally rotating with the shaft tit, but free to rotate relatively thereto during the period of application of the brakes.

If desired, as a substitute for the protecting gland 87, a tightly fitting cap l5, as shown in Fig. 4, may be employed'to protect the gears and other parts in the assembly from moisture or foreign substances, in which event the protecting cap may serve also as a means for actuating the releasing rod. A suitable construction for this purpose, as. shown, comprises a cylindrical member l1 having a flange l8 connecting with the planetary gears 26' in a manner similar to that shown and described with reference to Fig. 1, the member I! being threaded along its upper portion to another cylindrical member 34' provided with pins 32 for engagement by a suitably disposed groove in the cylindrical portion of the crank 4, the latter being adapted to removably engage said pins .and having a handle 88 by.

means of which the members 34' and I1 may be rotated about the casing I3, the bearings I 9" and 26 permitting easyrotative movement with resp'ectto the casing l3 and the centrally disposed shaft 33', through the center of which passes the releasing rod 13', the upper end of the rod being secured to a central extension of the interior of cap 15' as indicated. The spring 16, resting on a suitable seat bearing against the upper end of shaft 33', normally holds the rod 13' in the locking position, from which position it may be moved by downward pressure exerted on the top of cap 15'. v

It is to be understood that various other changes may be made in the form, detailsof construction, arrangement of parts and the uses to which they are applied, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

1. An engine starting mechanism comprising in combination, a high speed shaft, actuating means for said shaft, a casing enclosing said shaft and actuating means, speed responsive mechanism driven by said shaft and tending to move radially into engine engaging position, means normally locking said speed responsive mechanism against such radial movement comprising a projecting lug on said speed responsive mechanism near its center of rotation, a holding member engageable with said lug, and means operable at the will of the operator for rendering said locking means ineifective to prevent said radial movement, said means comprising a rod connected to said holding member and extending through said shaft and casing in co-axial relation thereto.

2. An engine starting mechanism comprising in combination, an engine member, a high speed shaft, actuating means for said' shaft, a casing enclosing said shaft and rotatable with said engine member, speed responsive mechanism driven by said shaft and tending to move into engagement with said casing to cause rotation of said casing and engine member, means normally restraining said speed responsive mechanism from efiecting said-engagement, and means operable at the will of-the operator for rendering said restraining means inefiective to prevent said engagernent, said last named means extending through said casing at its axis of rotation.

3. In combination with a rotatable member of an engine to be started, a supporting member rigidly attached to said engine member, a high speed shaft mounted on said supporting member and adapted for rotation relative to the supporting member during starting operation, centrifugally actuated means driven by said shaft and adapted to move into driving engagement with said supporting member to cause a transmission of starting torque through said supporting member to said rotatable engine member, and manually controlled means for establishing driving engagement between said centrifugally operated means and said supporting means.

4. An engine starting mechanism comprising in combination, a rotatable engine member, a high speed actuating means, a casing enclosing said actuating means, speed responsive mechanism driven by said actuating means, said speed responsive mechanism including a plurality of torque transmitting members tending to move radially into engagement with said casing to cause rotation of said casing and engine member, means normally locking said speed responsive mechanism against radial movement, and means for rendering said locking means inefiective to prevent said radial movement.

5. An engine starting mechanism comprising speed responsive mechanism against such radial movement, means for rendering said locking means ineffective to prevent said radial movement, and means for disengaging said speed responsive mechanism when said engine starts under its own power.

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

